Nail-supplying apparatus



Sept. 8, 1936. 1.. MacKENZlE 2,053,345

NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 8, 1936, F. L. M CKENZIE NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 8, 1936. F. L. M KENZlE NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9; 1933 u Kw Sept. 8, 1936: F. L. MaCKENZIE 2,053,345

' NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS I Filed May 9, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 8, 1936. MacKENZlE 2,053,345

NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 F. M KENZlE 2,053,345

NAIL SUPPLYING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1955 6 Sheets-Shet e Sept. 8, 1936.

FigrZZ. Z68 Z92 FigiZL Z76 I we $51 a Ill Patented Sept. 8, 1936 warren STATES NAIL- SUPPLYING APPARATU S Fred L. MacKenzie, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 9, 1933, Serial No. 670,093

59 Claims. My invention relates to the supplying of such 7 fastenings as nails to machines by which they are-to be driven. Said invention is of particular utility when it is desired to insert the'supplied nails in predetermined angular relations about theirlongitudinal axes.

For such work as the attachment of heels to shoes by nails driven from the inside of said shoes, it is desirablethat the points of insertion shall be close to the rand-crease, so a tight joint will be obtained. When thus driven, there is danger that the nail-points may emerge through the periphery of the heel unless precautions are taken to prevent this. One means to this end involves the employmentof nails of special forms, as those having beveled ends and which will run in a direction opposite to the bevel as they encounter the resistance of the heel-material in driving. Such nails, to obtain the result sought, must be definitely positioned, and an object of this invention is to establish the desired relation and to thereafter maintain control of the position until the nails are ready to be driven; To achieve this end, as a feature of the invention, the nails are taken as from a mass contained' in a receptacle, all thus taken received and arranged in a single definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes, and then discharged for' driving while maintaining all such nails in the relation in which they have been arranged. The means by which the nails are herein shown as thus arranged may consist of a raceway provided with nail-positioning means included between raceway-sections, the nails, after the positioning action, being delivered to a roll or other device which discharges them into tubes or conduits leading to a loader or transferring means, this in turn depositing the nails in passages in the nailing mechanism by which they are to be driven, Throughout this travel, control of the nail-position is continuous,and delivery is made to the nailingmechanism withthe heads and points in the correct relation. A well-' known commercial nail has a head which is generally triangularin form and ofiset from the shank, and in connection with this nail the raceway may have grooves V-shaped in, transverse section, while the discharge-roll, tubes, loader and jack of the nailing mechanism may be provided with passages triangular in cross-section. Therefore, when the nails are properly presented to any of these elements they are held by them against free angular movement. It is to be understood, however, that similar control of nails of other forms than that havinga triangular head is within the scope of my invention. In the present embodiment of said invention, the nails have their points all turned in the same direction by their reception by a raceway-portion in which they hang by their heads, this delivering to a portion in which the nails lie upon their sides and are positioned angularly. To prevent inter' ference between the nails in the latter portion, they are preferably separated one by one from the first-mentioned portion and dropped in a groove U-shaped in cross-section, which tends to turn them as they advance into the desired angular relation about their axes for reception by a terminal V-groove. From'this last-mentioned groove the nails, are discharged load by load by the roll and into a tube previously mentioned. To overcome clogging and to insure the advance of the nails, especially in the slotted raceway and at the separator, the raceway is preferably oscillated. The discharge-roll or device is shown as provided with a nail-retaining projection or finger movable into and out of the raceway. This finger, or the fingers, are so located that when the roll is making its delivery, the succeeding nail in each raceway is held clear of the roll to be freed for advance as the roll is ready to receive it.

' Other features of the invention of especial utility in connection with the organization just outlined, but capable of other'applications, concern the manner of actuating the nail-separating means and nail-discharging means associated with the raceway, this involving more particularly their support and movement upon an oscillatory raceway; the mounting upon an arm,

upon which the raceway oscillates, of a tube or tubes which receive the nails discharged from said raceway; the arrangement of nail-retaining members or shutters individual to movable terminal sections of the conduits into which the nails are discharged, the sections in the present instance being tubes adjustable upon a foot-plate and in which the conduits terminate; and the provision of a shutter or nail-retaining member movable upon and individual to a transferring nail-holder or loader-block separable from its supporting and actuating loader.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a particular form of vmy invention applied to a machine for the attachment of heels by nails driven from the inside of shoes. Here,

Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in broken side ele-' vation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the upper portion of V the work-supporting jack, together with a loaderblock in nail-delivering position;

Fig. 3 discloses the apparatus in broken front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a like view, enlarged, of the actuating mechanism for the separator-plate and discharge-roll;

Fig. 5, a plan View of elements appearing in Fig. 4; I

Fig. 6, a broken side elevation of the racewaystructure and the upper portion of the tubes to which delivery is made;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged broken transverse section of one of the upper raceway-portions;

Fig. 8 shows, similarly to Fig. 6, the lower portion of the tubes with their foot-plate and the loader in nail-receiving position;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section upon the line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10, a top plan view of the jack;

Fig. 11, a perspective view of the lower portion of two raceways, with a corresponding portion of the discharge-roll;

Fig. 12, a top plan view of the lower extremity of a raceway;

Fig. 13, illustrates in perspective the nail-positioning surfaces of a raceway;

Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are sections on the lines XIVXIV, XVXV, and XVI-XVI, respectively, of Fig. 12;

Fig. 17, a top plan view of the foot-plate;

Fig. 18, a horizontal section taken just above the shutter-actuating plate for the foot-platetubes; 7

Figs. 19 and 20, sectional details upon the lines XIX-XIX and XX-XX, respectively, of Fig. 1.8; V

Fig. 21, a broken side elevation of the. loaderblock; and

Fig. 22, a top planview of said block.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 for a general show ing of the apparatus, we have at 30 the upper portion of the frame of a heel-attaching inachine, which may resemble that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,785,928, Benjamin, December 23, 1930. Shoes to be heeled are placed upon a jack 32 rising at the front of the frame. The jack is preferably provided with adjustable tubes 34 (Figs. 2 and 10) in which the nail-drivers reciprocate, these tubes being movable to correspond to different nailing designs by the action upon them of crossed slots 3% in fixed cam-plates 38, 38 and a variable carn-plate ie. The latter is arranged to be shifted upon the jack by a screw 42. Such a structure is described in detail in United States Patent No. 1,269,654, Standish, June 18, 1918. A heel to be attached is held upon the heelseat of a jacked shoe and the driving force resisted by a movable pressure-abutment 44 which pages said heel.

The fastening which my improved apparatus is especially designed to supply is commonly known as a shovel-headed nail and is the subjectof Letters Patent of the United States 'No. 1,761,119, Gouldbourn, June 3, 1930. This nail, appearing at N in Figs. '7, 12, 14, 15, and 16, has a beveled point a and a flattened, generally triangular head I), offset to the same side of the shank c as that at which the bevel a is situatedv and similarly inclined. The outer edge (I of the head is furnished by one of the walls of the triangle. To obtain the desired inward inclination or toeing-in of the shanks away from the peripheries of the heels when the nailsare driven, the bevels a, and therefore the headedges 11, should be held, when the nails are in the jack 32, outwardly toward the periphery of the jack-top. This relation is insured by making the passages 50 of the nail-tubes 34 triangular in horizontal section, as is best shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, so rotation of the nails in the tubes is prevented. With this arrangement, it is only necessary to deliver the nails to these tubes at the proper angles about their longitudinal axes, and this end is attained by the present invention.

The nails N to be supplied are contained in a mass in a drum 52 rotatable upon the frame 53 of a distributor, said nails being lifted by buckets 54 projecting inwardly from the circumferential drum-wall and dropped upon a grooved tray 56. The tray projects into the open inner end of the drum from a nailway, the frame of which appears at 58. This nailway is vibrated upon the frame 53 to produce advance of the nails along it and for this purpose is mounted upon transversely spaced rear rocker-levers 60 and-a forward transversely-extended rocker-arm 62. Oscillation is imparted to the levers 60 by eccentric-rods 64 operated by eccentrics 66 upon a shaft 68 journaled in the frame and rotated through spur-gearing 10, a short horizontal shaft 12, bevel-gearing l4 and a vertical shaft 75 from the heel-attaching machine. Beneath the forward end of the tray is a series of separated raceways, corresponding in number to the jacktubes and each consisting of spaced bars 16 having at their upper edges inwardly and downwardly converging surfaces 18 arranged for engagementwith the sides of the nail-heads b, the shanks a of the nails hanging'in slots 19 between the bars. Aportion of the nails advancingfrom the tray waste between the raceways, falling. upon av chute (Fig. 1) which returns them to the drum, but a sufiicient number are caught in the raceway-slots and gather in series, all hanging upon the surface 18 with their points down,..advancing under the influence of gravity and the vibration of the 'nailway-structure. From these raceways 16, the nails. are picked off in groups or loads, one from each raceway, by a reciprocatory separator. The separating means which I have chosen to illustrate consists of the well-known type having a slotted plate 82 (Figs. 3, 5, and 6) mounted upon a carrier 84 to reciprocate across the raceways. A spring 86 produces the nail-separating travel of the plate. The manner of effectthe opposite or spring-compressing movement will later be described. Because of the peculiar form of the shovel-headed nail, they are'liable to overlap and wedge in the racewayslots 79 and to resist entrance into the slots of the separator-plate. This tendency I overcome by the oscillation of the nailway 58.

Each nail, when released by a slot in the plate 82, falls through a passage 88 in an end-block 90 upon a. downwardly and forwardly curved raceway-bar 92, this being one of a transverse series supported upon the nailway-frame 58. The nailereceiving groove 94 of each bar is shown as generally U-shaped in transverse section (Fig. 11-). Under the momentum imparted by their fall and the shake of the nailway, the nails, sup-- ported at their heads and points, advance with considerable velocity into a groove 96 whichcontinues each groove 94- in the corresponding bar 92... The groove 96 is preferably generally of V- form incrosssection, though its apex may beflattened toprovide a contact surface for the nail-shanks c. The walls of this groove 96 preferably lie at substantially the same angle as to the side edges of the nail-heads. In the U-groove the tendency of the nails is to settle with the shanks down and to enter the V-grooves as shown in Figs. 12 and 16. This is the relation desired, and a corresponding control is maintained at every succeeding step of the advance until the nails are deposited in the passages of the jack 32. It may be, however, that a nail will become positioned with the edge (1 at its head turned down into contact with one of the walls of the groove 96, as appears in Fig. 14, instead of lying with the edge d upmost. To correct the position of such nails, there occurs at 98 a break in the V-groove. Here, at each side of theend of the groove 96, is a wall I99 starting at I92 outside said groove and curved inwardly and downwardly, these two walls converging to a succeeding raceway section in which is a V groove H94 similar to the groove 96 and in substantial alinement therewith. If the nails leave the groove 96 correctly positioned with the edge d of the heads upmost, the walls 90 are without material effect upon them. If, however, said edge d is down it will strike one or the other of the walls H19 and be turned thereby about its longitudinal axis. Since the advance is relatively rapid, a sufiiicient impetus will be imparted to overturn the nail laterally, it entering the groove N14 with the headedge (1 up in the chosen position.

The nails have arrived in the correct angular relation at the ends of the grooves N14 with their points in advance. They are now to be delivered to the jack 32 in successive loads, and-with the heads down and the edges d of the heads lying toward the periphery of the jack-top. To discharge the nails heads-down in'loads from the raceways, a roll 196 may be employed. In this roll are passages 698, triangular in cross-section to receive and hold the nails against rotation about their axes and extending part way through the roll. There is a passage W8 for each raceway w ll, movable during the rotation of the roll from approximate alinement with its raceway to a nearly vertical position in which the contained nails are dropped into tubes M9, the passage through each of these tubes being also triangular in cross-section and registering with the corresponding roll-passage in its discharging position to maintain the nails under control. At one'extremity of the roll a spindle l l2 turns in a sleeve H4 fixed horizontally in the nailway 58 by a set-screw l l9 (Fig. 3) At the opposite end, the roll is separably coupled at MS to a horizontal shaft B29 rotatable in the nailway; By loosening the screw i it and taking out the sleeve l M, the

dischargeroll may be removed for conveniencein disassembling the tubes H9 and for clearing obstructions. Fixed to the roll W6 is a rearwardly extending yoke 522 from which depends a nailretaining finger 24 for each raceway, each finger being arranged to enter its raceway at the space 98. The finger closes its groove 96 when the passage l98 is delivering to its tube H9. It rises from the raceway to permit the nailsto enter the tube when the roll is turned to bring the passage into registration with the groove E94. The roll is operated in synchronism with the separator-plate in a manner which will now be described.

The actuating mechanism for the separatorplate and discharge-roll is best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The shaft I20 by which the roll is rotated has fast upon it a bevel-gear, I30 meshing with a bevel-segment l32 seured, to a shaft 934 journaled in arms E39 extending from the nailway 58. Connected to the shaft and to one of the arms I36 is a torsion-spring I38, the effect of which, when put under tension, is to turn the roll-passages Hi8 into registration with the raceway-grooves tilt and to raise the stopfingers E29. The extent of this movement is determined by a stop-screw 1311. To tension the spring I38 and simultaneously compress the spring 89 to prepare for its separating action, there is supported upon the distributor-frame-53, projecting therefrom in proximity to one of the arms 35, a guide member H9 in ways in which an actuating plate M9 is horizontally'movable. When the carrier 84 and separator-plate 82 are returned by the spring 86, the plate picks off a load of nails from the raceway-bars 76, so they are deposited in the grooves 99 for advance to the discharge-roll. Rotatable about a vertical axis at the inner edge of the plate M0 is a roll Ml, which bears against a contact-surface upon the separator-carrier. This will transmit inward movement of the actuating plate to the carrier without interference with the oscillation of the nailway produced by the eccentrics 66. At the same time, a projection M2 from the upper edge of the actuating plate contacts with a short arm M3 extending from the shaft l39, revolving the segment H32 and turning the discharge-roll I96 as previously indicated. At the forward side of the actuating plate M9 is a contact-projection I44 in which is a depression M6. Arranged to enter the depression is a hook M9 pivoted upon the vertical arm of a bell-crank-lever I59 fulcrumed on the frame 53,,thehook being held normally depressed by a torsion-spring H52. To a horizontal arm of the bell-crank is articulated a link I 59 joined at its lower extremity to a bell-crank-lever 7 1156 fulcrumed upon the frame 39. The arm of the lever Q56 opposite the link-connection carries a roll I58, held by a spring 669 surrounding the link against the periphery of a cam H52 rotatable by a shaft I63. The turning of this cam to cause a nail-delivering operation is controlled through movement by the operator of a handlever ltd, as in the Benjamin patent previously mentioned. A rod 896 has at its upper end a vertical slot H58 at the bottom of which rests a projection H9 from the front of the hook M3. The rod is pivoted at its lower extremity to swing in directions at right angles to each other upon an arm H2 secured to the end of a shaft I'M lying transversely of the frame 99. At its opposite extremity the shaft I'M has fast upon it an arm H6 (Fig. 1), which, through a spring I18 and a rod I89 which said spring surrounds, may .be yieldably raised when the heel-attaching machine is operated to drive into the jacked work the heelattaching nails. This last-mentioned mechanism is more fully disclosed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States filed in my name on June 7, 1932, and bearing the Serial No. 615,834. On February 20, 1934, this application became Patent No. 1,947,770. Elevation of the rod I66 forces the bottom of the slot I68 against the hook-projection llil raising the point of the hookinto'engagement with an inclined surface 82 on the plate-projection IM. This presses aside the plate M9 and the separator-carrier 84 against the force of the spring 85, and allows the hook to enter and be temporarily retained by the plate-depression M6. Simultaneously with the raising of the hook, an arm I 84 secured to the rod I66 is brought against one extremity of a latch I86 pivoted at I88 upon one of the arms I36. This latch is provided with a shoulder I90, which is normally elevated by a spring I92 for engagement with a contact-finger I64 projecting from the shaft I34 opposite the arm I43. The latchshoulder, by itsengagement with the finger I94, holds the shaft E34 against rotation by the spring I38 with the discharge-roll passages I08 in their vertical relation to deliver to the tubes IIO the contained nails, and with the fingers I 24 preventing entrance of the nails to the racewaygrooves I04. Then, upon elevation of the rod I66, the arm I34 thereon trips the latch, and the spring rotates the roll so its passages are carried to the nail-receiving position, the fingers being raised from the raceways.

The group of tubes 5 l0, which receive the nail from the discharge-roll, are mounted upon the rocker-arm 6': as a separable unit. A holderframe 200 (Figs. 3 and 6) is clamped to opposite sides of the arm by overhanging plates 202, 202. The upper portion of the holder is extended horizontally in the form of a bar 204 provided with spaced vertical openings in which the tubes are secured by screws 266. A block 266 furnishes the lower portion of the holder, the tubes converging to an arrangement which may be substantially the means of the various nailing designs which are to be employed. Screws 2I0 fasten the tubes in the block. These tubes IIO have joined to them flexible extensions 242 through which are triangular passages placed similarly to: those of the tubes, and the extensions are connected to the upper extremities of foot-plate-tubes 2I4 which may be positioned to correspond to each of the nailing designs to be employed. In their descent from the bar 264, the tubes H0 are so twisted about their longitudinal axes that the conveyed nails, which all left the discharge-roll I06 with their head-edges cl disposed rearwardly, are rotated until such edges assume substantially the positions in which they are to be inserted in the work; that is, turned outwardly from the center of the group. If it is desired to remove the tubes I IQ for clearing, as in case one or more become clogged, the set-screw .6 is loosened, the sleeve H4 withdrawn and the discharge-roll I06 lifted out. Then, upon loosening the clamping plates 262, the holder 200 with the entire tube assembly may be removed, the flexible extensions 2 I2 leaving the tubes 2 54.

Considering the adjustment of the tubes 2| 4, these, as appears in Figs. 1, 3, 8, and 17, are a part of a foot-plate-structure designated as a whole by the letter P. A bracket 220 extends at one side of the frame 36 and contains vertical ways 222 to receive a support 224. Between horizontal arms 226 of this support are mounted fixed plates 228, 228 spaced from each other, between which plates are guided flanges 2230 upon terminal tubes 232 in which the tubes 2M are fixed. In these tubes 232 are triangular passages 233,. continuing those of the tubes 2I4 and in the same angular relation. The terminal tubes above and below the flanges pass through pairs of registering cam-slots .234 in the plates 22%), 228. At the top of the upper plate 228 slides an adjusting plate 236, provided with slots 238 receiving the tubes and lying across the slots 234. A screw 240 turning in the support 224 is threaded into a lug 242 rising from the plate 236. When said plate 236 is moved forwardly or rearwardly' by the screw, the. co-operating slots will cause the tubes 232', 2I4 to be shifted along paths which contain the nail-inserting positions of all nailing designs and maintained in the proper relation to each other. This mechanism is similar to that for adjusting the jack-tubes in the Standish patent already referred to.

The nails are to be held in the foot-platetubes after they have been received, for delivery therefrom at a definite point in the cycle of operation. For this purpose, nail-retaining means isv provided, and it is important that the nailrel'easing movement. shall be of limited extent for all adjustments of the tubes, so the naildelivery shall be prompt and readily obtained with a limited actuating movement. To this end, the tubes are preferably provided with nail-retaining shutters individual to and movable with them. Referring particularly to Figs. 18, 19, and 20, each terminal-tube 232 has at its foot a lateral enlargement 244 containing a channel open at the bottom, and in which is arranged to reciprocate a shutter 246 having a reduced tongue 248 normally extending into the passage 233- and serving to support the nails. From the shutter depends a projection 250, which is received by a slot 252 in an actuating plate 254 guided upon the arms 226 below the lower plate 228 (Fig. 8). Each slot 252 is of such length as to receive its shutter-projection in all tube-positions. Parallel to each'slot 252 is a slot 256 through which nail-delivery is made. Both the slots 252 and 256 are parallel to the corresponding slot 234 in the lower plate 228. It will be seen that with this arrangement, for any'position of the tubes, 232, movement of the plate 254 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 18, will cause each projection 250 to be engaged by the edge of its slot 252. The corresponding shutter will therefore be operated to free the tube and allow the supported nail todrop through the slot the width of which is sufiicient to permit this in all positions of the plate.

The mechanism for actuating the plate 254 is not a feature of the present invention, a, similar mechanism for actuating a shutter being disclosed and claimed in the previously-mentioned Patent No. 1,947,770 and covered in part in an application filed in my name February 14, 1930, Serial No. 428,529. The resulting patent is No. 1,947,769, dated February 20, 1934. Briefly, it may be said that the plate is joined by a link 258' (Fig. 1) to a lever 260 fulcrumed upon the frame 30, and provided with a lateral projection 262 entering a fork in an upwardly-extending arm of a three-armed lever 264 turning at one side of the lever 266. With the upper edge of a forwardly-extending arm of the lever 264 cooperates a latch 266, while a rearwardly-exten-ding arm carries a roll 26I arranged for engagement with the upper edge of a loader-slide 268 reciprocating horizontally in the frame 36. At the forward extremity of the slide is a frame 210 (Figs. 21 and 22) to receive a loader-block 212, which may be one of an interchangeable group, each block having a plurality of vertical nail-holding pass-ages 274 arranged in accordance with a particular nailing design. A springactuated pin 2'56 secures any one of the blocks oi the group separably in the frame. In the rearward position of the loader-block its passages 214, which are triangular in horizontal section, register, with the foot-pl-ate-tubes 232, when these are set to the same design. From this nail-receiving position the" loader-block is given a forward transferring movement, to bring its passages 214 into nail-delivering alinement with the passages 56 of the jack-tubes 34, by gearing 218 actuated, as in the Benjamin patent, from the shaft I63 under the control of the hand-lever I64. When the loader-block is in nail-receiving position beneath the foot-plate, a depression 286 in the upper edge of its slide 268 lies beneath the roll 261, but, until nail-delivery is to be made, movement of the-lever 264 is prevented by the presence of the latch 266 above theforward arm of said lever. By thus retaining the lever, the plate 254 is prevented from being moved by a spring 282 to open the foot-plate shutters 246. The spring connects the plate and latch, drawing the latter into its active position. Upon the rod I88, which, as already pointed out, rises when the heel-attaching machine operates, is a contact-member 284. This strikes the tail of the latch, turning it anticlockwise (Fig. 1) to release the lever 264. Since the depression 288 is beneath the lever-roll 261, this lever and the lever 260 are free to turn clockwise, so the spring 282 moves the plate 254 to'cam open the'shutters 246. The nails contained in thefoot-platetubes 232 therefore drop'into the loader-blockpassage's 214. Had the loader-blockbeenout of registration with the foot-plate-passages, the loader-slide-depression 286 would have been at one side of the roll 261,'ahd the horizontal surface of the slide would have prevented rotation of the lever 264 and the opening of the shutters. After the reception of the nails by the loaderblock, the forward travel of the slide for the delivery of the nails to the jack forces the roll out of the depression. This causes the lever 268 to impart to the plate 254- its shutter-closing movement and lowers the'forward arm of the'lever 264, so the latch 266 moved by the spring 282 engages and retains it.

r The nails, upon entering the loader-blockpassages 214, must be releasably held while the block advances over the jack and are there delivered to the passages 59. Guided in ways upon the under side of the block 212 is a retaining plate or shutter 296 in which is a triangular opening 292 corresponding to each passage 214'. The shutter is normally held with the openings 292 at one side of the passages 214, so' the latter are closed, by a spring 294 connecting the shutter to the frame 218. This is as illustrated in Figs. 21 and 22 of the drawings. -When the loader arrives atthe jack, a projection 296, depending from the rear of the plate 299 strikes the jack and causes said plate to be held back, and when the forward travel of the loader ceases the jackpassages 58, the shutter-openings 292, and the loader-block-passages 214 are all in substantial registration. Thus the nails are released and fall into the jack-ready for insertion. When the loader leaves the jack to return to its nail receiving position, the spring 294 closes the shutter ready for the reception of the succeeding load of nails from the foot-plate. It should be ob served that the shutter of the loader-block is individual to it. As a result of this,'the travel necessary to release the supported nails may be minimized. Because of this, said release is quickly effected; and'without the nail-displacing shock which might follow the tripping of a shut ter movable upon the loader-frame and springactuated througha considerable distance to cover all nailing designs.

The operation of the apparatus will now be outlined. By the screws 42 and 246, thejack tubes 34 and the foot-plate-tubes 232 will have been respectively adjusted to the nailing design best suited to the form of the heel to be attached, and a corresponding loader block 21-2 carrying its shutter 296 placed in the frame 218. At the beginning of an operating cycle the loader-block,

with its shutter closed, is resting beneath the foot-plate P and contains a load of nails N with their heads b resting upon the shutter, the headedges d being turned outward. The roll 261 is seated in the depression 288 in the loader-slide 266, its lever 264 being free from the latch 266. The shutters 246 of the foot-plate-tubes 232 are therefore open. The discharge-roll N36 has its passages I68 alined with the raceway-grooves i634 and contains a load of nails, the nail-retaining fingers I24 being raised to free the raceways. The nail-drum 52 and the nailway 58 are in constant motion, the raceway-slots 19 containing series of nails hanging by their heads upon the bar-surfaces 18 and held back by the separatorplate 82. The operator, holding a shoe to be heeled, shifts the lever I164. This causes the rotation of the shaft 463 and, through the gearing 218, the advance of the loader-block. The roll 261 is at once cammed out of the depression, shifting the actuating plate 254 to close the footplate-shutters. When the loader-block reaches the jack 32, the contact of its shutter-projection 296 with said jack frees the contained nails and they fall into the pack-passages 58. Both the loader-block-passages 214 and the jack-passages 56, by their triangular form and like angular relation about the vertical axes, position each nail of the delivered set with its beveled point a and the head-edge d turned outwardly toward the periphery of the jack. There is thus insured the inward deflection of the nails away from the peripheryof the heel to be attached and the proper engagement of the nail-heads with the. curved heel-seat of the shoe. While this nai1- delivering movement is being made by the loader, the'cam I62 is being rotated by the shaft 53, causing oscillation of the lever I56. The hook I48 joined to this lever was left at the terminationof the previous cycle resting in the depression I46 of the actuating plate M9. The lever consequently moves the plate to the right '(Fig. 3) and, through the roll I 44, shifts the carrier 84 to move the separator-plate 82 across the race- Way-slots 19. The contour of the cam then permits the actuating plate, carrier and separator to be moved reversely by the spring 86. During the travel, under the influence of the spring, the separator picks off a load of nails from the 'raceways and drops them into the passages 88, this occurring toward the end of the reciprocation. At this time, the hook 448 is released from the depression 446, because the extent of travel of the hook to the left is greater than that of the plate I48. In the advance of the plate, its projection B42 revolves the segment B32, thus turning the discharge-roll it to deliver its contained:

nails to the tubes IE6 and lowering the fingers I24 into the raceway-spaces 98. In this position, the roll and fingers are retained by the shoulder I96 of the latch E85. The nails released by the separator-plate 82 pass down the U-grooves 94. The steepness of inclination of these causes the nails to enter the V-grooves 96 at a considerable velocity and with a, tendency to settle with their shanks in the desired definite position at the bottoms of the grooves with the edges d of the heads upmost. At the forward extremities of the grooves 96 this single load of nails is stopped by the depressed fingers 24. It is to be noted that in each raceway between the plate I82 and .the roll I96 there is never more than a single nail. Therefore, interference cannot be produced by one nail riding over another.

After the operator has thrown the lever 1.64 and thus supplied a load of nails to the jack 32., he places the shoe which he holds upon said jack, applies aheel to its heel-seat, and depresses a treadle to lower the abutment 44 into contact with the work and to start the heel-attaching machine in operation. As a consequence of this operation, the heel-attaching nails are driven into the work and the rod we is elevated under the power of the machine. In this upward movement, the rod-projection 285 unlatches the lever 260., and, the loader being in the correct receiving position, the roll 25? enters the depression 280.. The plate 25% is therefore shifted by the spring 282 so the nails sup-ported by the shutters 246 are allowed to drop into the lcader-block-passages 274. The rod i855 also rotates the shaft I14 to lift the rod I66. This, by engagement with the projection I10 causes the entrance of the hook I48 into the depression t lt of the plate I42, in preparation for the actuation of the separator 82 and the discharge-roll H38 during the next operating cycle. The arm 184 upon the rod I66 lifts the latch I86, releasing the shaft I34 so the spring I38 rotates the discharge-roll rapidly to raise the fingers I24 from the raceways and bring the passages I08 into alinement with the grooves I04. The nails, thus freed by the fingers, ad- Vance under the influence of the raceway-oscillation into the grooves I8 3. If the nails are mispositioned in the grooves 85, they will be turned by the curved surfaces we so they will unfailingly enter the grooves m l with the shanks down. As these last-mentioned grooves are short,.the nails are at once received by roll-passages. I08 in the chosen relation. In spite of the relatively short distance which the nails have to travel after they leave the fingers, the roll will have been sufficiently rotated to receive them because of the quickness with which the spring I38 acts. When the nails are discharged by the roll during each cycle, constant control of the angles about their longitudinal axes is maintained in the tubes H0, 2l2, 2M and 232 furnishing the conduit system, because they are held against free rotation by the contact of their heads with the walls of the triangular passages. They therefore arrive in the loader-block-passages 2M and are delivered to the jack-passages 5K3 correctly positioned, as already described. This can occuro-nly after the previously supplied nails have been driven out of the jack-passages. Double loading is therefore impossible. .As soon as the nailing operation has been completed, following the starting of the heel-attaching machine, the abutment 44 rises, the operator removes the shoe from the jack, and the apparatus is ready for the next operation.

Having described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass, means for receiving nails from the receptacle and arranging all in a single definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes, and means for discharging the nails from the receiving means while maintaining for all the same angular relation in which they have been arranged.

2. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass,:means v for receiving nails from the, receptacle and arrang-J ing each in .a definite angular relation about its longitudinal axis, meansfor discharging the nails from vtheireceiving means while maintaining such angular relation, and nail-retaining means movable into and out of the receiving means 'atthe rear iof'the discharging means.

3. Ina nail-supplying apparatus, a .receptacle in which :nails are contained in a mass, means for :receiving nails from the receptaclerand arranging each in a single definite angular relation :about its longitudinal axis, means fordischarging the nails from the receiving means while maintaining such angular relation, and conduits into which the nails are discharged, said conduits contacting with the nails to maintain the against free rotation.

4. In a nail-supplying apparatus-a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass, means for receiving :nails from the receptacle and arranging-each finaa definite angular relation about its longitudinal axis, means for discharging the nails .from the receiving .means while maintain-' ing such angular relation, and conduits into which the nails are discharged, said conduits being twisted :about their longitudinal axes to turn the nails :while maintaining them against free rotation. I

- 5. A.nail-supplying apparatus, a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass, means for receiving nails from the receptacle and arranging each in a xdefinite angular relation about its longitudinal axis, means for discharging the nails from the receiving means while maintainingsuch angular relation, conduits into which the nails are discharged, said conduits contacting with the nails to maintain them against free rotation, and a transferring member provided with jpassages into which the conduits deposit-the nails, said passages holding the nails against rotation about theiraxes.

-6. In an apparatus .for supplying nails having triangular heads, a raceway having a V-groove to which "the nails are delivered, means for turning the nails to enter the V-groove in a definite angular relation, and an oscillatory discharge-roll provided with a'passage triangular in cross-section :and receiving nails from the V-groove.

7. In an apparatus for supplying nails having triangular *heads, a raceway having a V-groove to which the nails are delivered, means for turning the nails to enter the V-groove in a definite angular relation, an oscillatory discharge-roll provided with a passage triangular in cross-section and receiving nails from the V-groove, and tubes having passages triangular in cross-section and into which-the discharge-roll deposits the nails.

8. In an apparatus for supplying nails having triangular heads, a racewayshaving a V-grooveto which the nails are delivered, means for turning the nails to enter the V-groove in a definite angular relation, an oscillatory discharge-roll provided with a :passage triangular in cross-section and receiving nails from the V-groove, tubes having :passages triangular in crosssection and into which the discharge-roll deposits the nails, and

aireciprocatory'loader-block provided with passages tri'angular in cross-section and receiving the nails from the tubes.

9. In an apparatus for supplying nails having triangular heads, a series of parallel raceways each having a V-groove and to which the nails are delivered, :means associated with each raceway for turning the nails to enter the V-groove in a definite angular relation, a nail-transferring member provided with triangular passages arranged in accordance with a nailing design, and tubes triangular in section and twisted about their longitudinal axes, said tubes conducting to the transferring member the nails discharged from the raceways and simultaneously rotating them for delivery in a definite angular relation.

10. In nail-supplying apparatus, nail-transferring means, a raceway provided with a supporting surface upon which nails rest in a series, means for releasing the nails one by one for travel through the raceway, and means movable at the end of the raceway for controlling the discharge of nails therefrom to the transferring means.

11. In nail-supplying apparatus, nail-transferring means, a raceway, means for releasing the nails one by one for travel through the raceway, means movable at the end of the raceway for controlling the discharge of nails therefrom to the transferring means, and nail-retaining means movable into the raceway under the power of the apparatus during the discharge of the nails.

12.. In nail-supplying apparatus; a nail-receptacle, a slotted raceway receiving nails from the receptacle and supporting them for travel hanging by their heads, a nail-separator movable at the forward extremity of the slotted raceway,

a raceway upon which the nails are dropped by the separator and over which they pass lying upon their sides, and a roll to which the last-mentioned raceway delivers and by which the nails are discharged to the transferring means.

13. In nail-supplying apparatus, nail-trans ferring means, a nail-receptacle, a raceway to which'the receptacle delivers, means for releasing the nails one by one for travel through the raceway, means movable at the end of the raceway for controlling the discharge of nails therefrom to the transferring means, and means included in the raceway for determining the angular position of the nails about their longitudinal axes.

14. The combination with nail-inserting mechanism, of a receptacle in which headed nails are contained in a mass, means for receiving nails from the receptacle and arranging each with a definite angular relation of the head about the longitudinal axis of the shank, and means for transferring the nails to the inserting mechanism while maintaining control of their angular position.

15. In an apparatus for supplying nails having heads offset from the shanks, a raceway provided with means for supporting the nails withthe heads in one direction only and with means for holding said nails with the heads in definite angular positions circumferentially about the axes of the shanks.

l6. In an apparatus for supplying nails having heads of generally triangular form, a raceway having a section in which the nails are arranged with their heads in a predetermined direction and a succeeding section provided with walls upon which the nails lie on their sides with adjacent sides of the triangular heads in contact with said walls.

17. In an apparatus for supplying nails having heads offset from the shanks, a nail-receptacle, a slotted raceway to which the receptacle delivers, and a raceway having V-grooves receiving nails from the slotted raceway.

18. In a nail-supplying apparatus, two raceway-sections, and means situated between the sections and engaging the heads of the nails for turning said nails about their longitudinal axes. 19. In an apparatus for supplying headed nails, two raceway-sections upon which nails advance supported at their heads and points, and means situated between the sections and acting upon the nail-heads for turning the nails about their longitudinal axes.

20. In an apparatus for supplying headed nails, two raceway-sections upon which nails advance supported at their heads and points, means situated between the sections and acting upon the nail-heads for turning the nails about their longitudinal axes, and naihretaining means movable into and out of the raceway at the turning means.

21. In a nail-supplying apparatus, two racewaysections, one delivering to the other, and curved walls situated between the sections at each side of the path of the nails, said walls being more widely separated than those in the delivering section, they converginginwardly and downwardly and merging into the walls of the receiving section.

22. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a slotted raceway, a raceway of U-shaped transverse section to which the slotted raceway delivers,-and a raceway of V-shaped transverse section to which the U-raceway delivers.

23. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a slotted raceway, a raceway of U-shaped transverse section receiving nails from the slotted raceway and being curved downwardly and forwardly therefrom, means for dropping the nails one by one upon the U-raceway, and a raceway V-shaped in transverse section to which thenails are delivered under the impetus acquired in their descent over the U-raceway.

24. The combination with nail-inserting mechanism having nail-receiving passages engaging the contained nails to hold them. in a definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes, of a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass,

means for receiving nails from the receptacle and positioning them in a definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes, and means for conducting the nails from the positioning means to the inserting mechanism and for maintaining constant control of their angular position until they are delivered to the nailing mechanism.

25. The combination with a jack provided with nail-passages triangular in cross-section, of a receptacle in which nails are contained in a mass, means for receiving the nails and positioning them in a definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes. V-raceways to which the positioned nails are delivered, and a series of conducting members connecting the raceways and jackpassages and all having triangular passages.

26. In a nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway having slots arranged to receive and conduct nails hanging by their heads, there being means associated with the raceway for arranging the nails in a definite angular relation about their longitudinal axes, and means for oscillating said raceway.

27. In a nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway having slots arranged to receive and conduct nails hanging by their heads, a nail-separator mounted to reciprocate on the raceway and having slots to receive the shanks of the nails, and means for oscillating said raceway.

28. In a nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway, a nail-separator movable upon raceway, a discharge device movable upon the raceway, and nail-turning means interposed between the separator and discharge device.

29. In a nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway arranged to support nails in a series, means movable upon the raceway for separating the nails one by one from the series, and means movable upon the end of the raceway for discharging the :nails therefrom.

30. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a nailseparator movable upon the raceway, a discharge 7 device movable upon the raceway, and nail-retaining means movable toward and from the raceway between the separating means and discharge device.

31. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a discharge device movable upon the raceway, and nail-retaining means. carried by the discharge device and movable into and out of position to be engaged by the nails upon the raceway.

32. In a'nail-distributor, a raceway arranged to support nails in a series, a plate slidable upon the raceway to separate nails one by one from the series and deliver them. for support upon the raceway, and a discharge-roll rotatable at the end of the raceway and into which the nails enter while still supported on said raceway.

33. In a nail-distributor. a raceway arranged to support nails in a series. a plate slidable upon the raceway to separate nails one by one from the series. a discharge-roll for the nails rotatable at the end of the raceway, and a nail-retaining finger projecting from the roll and movable thereby into and out of position to be engaged by the nails in the raceway.

34. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a raceway arranged to oscillate upon the frame, a nail-separator mounted to reciprocate upon the raceway. a reciprocatory actuator movable upon the frame, and connections between the actuator and separater continuously effective during the oscillation of the raceway.

35. In a nai -distributor, a frame, a raceway arranged to oscillate upon the frame, a nail-separator movable upon the raceway, a discharge device movable upon the raceway, an actuator movable upon the frame, and connections between the actuator and the separator and discharge device continuously effective during the oscillation of the raceway.

36. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a raceway arranged to oscillate upon the frame, a reciprocatory nail-separating plate mounted 'to slide upon the raceway, and an actuating slide movable upon the frame, the actuating slide and separating-plate having contacting surfaces through which the actuating movement is communicated to the plate.

37. In a nail-distributor. a frame. a raceway arranged to oscillate upon the frame, a reciprocatory nail-separating plate mounted to slide upon the raceway, a roll rotatable at the end of the raceway to receive and discharge nails therefrom. an actuating slide movable upon the frame, and gearing for rotating the roll, the actuating slide and the separating plate and gearing respectively having contacting surfaces through which the actuating movement is transmitted.

38. The combination with a nailing machine, of a nail-distributor, a raceway, a rotatable roll for discharging the nails from the raceway, a spring acting to rotate the roll, a latch for the roll, and means operable by the nailing machine to release the latch.

39. The combination with a nailing machine, of a nail-distributor having a frame, a raceway movable upon the frame, a nail-separator movablerupon the raceway, a slide movable upon the frame and having a portion contacting with the separatonand a member operable by the nailing machine for governing the slide.

40. Ihe combination with a nailing machine, of a nail-distributor having a frame, a raceway movable upon the frame, a nail-separator movable upon the raceway, a slide movable upon the frame and having a portion contacting with the separator, a member operable by the distributor for actuating the slide, and means operable by the nailing machine for rendering said member effective.

41. The combination with a nailing machine, of a nail-distributor having a frame, a raceway movable upon the frame, a nail-separator movable upon the raceway, a nail-discharging device movable uponthe raceway, gearing for rotating the discharging device, a slide'movable upon the frame and having portions contacting with the separator and with the gearing, a member movable into engagement with the slide for actuating it, and means for producing the engaging movement.

42. The combination with a nailing machine, of a nail-distributor having a frame, a raceway movable upon the frame, a nail-separator movable -upon the raceway, a nail-discharging device movable upon the raceway, gearing for rotating the discharging device, a slide movable upon the frame and having portions contacting with the separator and with the gearing, a spring by which the slide is moved, a latch for the gearinga hook operable by the distributor and arranged for engagement with the slide, and a member movable by the nailing machine for causing the engagement of the hook with the slide and for releasing the latch.

43. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a discharge device receiving nails from the raceway, and a nail-retaining projection carried by the discharge device and movable thereby into and out of the raceway.

44. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a discharge-roll mounted for oscillation at the end of the raceway, and a stop projecting from the roll and movable into and out of nail-retaining relation to the raceway.

45. Ina nail-distributor, a raceway, a discharge-roll mounted for oscillation and provided with a nail-passage movable between a position in which it will receive nails from the raceway and one in which it delivers said nails, and a stopfinger fixed upon the 'roll and movable thereby into active position in the raceway when the roll is in nail-delivering position.

46. In a nail-distributor, a movable raceway, a movable support for the raceway, and a nailconduit mounted upon the support.

47. In 'anail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway, a rocker-arm upon which the raceway is supported, and a tube mounted upon the rockerarm and receiving nails from the raceway.

48. In a nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway, a rocker-arm upon which the raceway is supported, a holder separably secured to the rocker-arm, and a plurality of tubes mounted upon the holder and to which the raceway delivers.

49. Ina nail-distributor, an oscillatory raceway, a rocker-arm upon which the raceway is supported, a holder separably secured to the rocker-arm, a plurality of tubes mounted upon the holder-and to which the raceway delivers, flexible tubes depending from the tubes upon the holder,

a foot-plate provided with movable tubes into which the flexible tubes extend, and means arranged to adjust the foot-plate-tubes to correspond to different nailing designs, 7

50. In a nail-distributor, a raceway from which nails are delivered, conduits receiving the nails from the raceway and terminating in sections movable to different positions, a nail-retaining member movable with each terminal section, and

actuating means movable into engagement with the retaining members.

51. In combination, nail transferring means, nail-conducting tubes, a foot-plate to which said tubes lead, tubes movable upon the foot-plate and receiving the nails for delivery to the transferring means, and a shutter individual to each foot-plate-tube and movable therewith.

52. The combination with nailing mechanism, of nail-supplying means having nail-holders movable into difierent positions", a nail-retaining member movable with each holder, and means common to the nail-holders for moving the retaining means.

53. The combination with nailing mechanism, of nail-supplying means having nail-holders movable into different positions, a nail-retaining member movable with each holder, and a member movable into engagement with the nailholders for actuating them.

54. In a nail-distributor, nail-conducting tubes, a foot-plate to which said tubes lead, said footplate being provided with slots, tubes movable in the slots and receiving nails, a shutter individual to each tube and movable therewith, and an actuating plate movable upon the foot-plate and having a slot acting upon each shutter.

55. In a nail-distributor, nail-conducting tubes, a foot-plate to which said tubes lead, said foot plate being provided with slots, tubes movable in the slots and receiving nails, a shutter individual to each tube and movable therewith, each shutter having a projection, and an actuating plate movable upon the foot-plate and having slots registering with the foot-plate-slots and slots parallel thereto to receive the shutter-projections.

56. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a nail-transferring member, a nail-holder separably mounted upon the transferring member and having a plurality of nail-receiving passages, and a nailretaining member movable upon the nail-holder to open and close the passages and separable with said holder from the transferring member.

57. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a nail-transferring member, a nail-holder separably mounted upon the transferring member and having a plurality of nail-receiving passages, and a plate movable upon the holder and separable therewith from the transferring member, saidplatehaving openings which may be brought into registration with the nail-passages oi the holder.

58. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a nailloader, a loader-block separably mounted upon the loader and provided with nail-receiving passages, and a shutter movably mounted upon the block in co-operation with the passages, said shutter being separable from the loader with the block.

59. In a nail-supplying apparatus, a nailloader, a loader-block separably mounted upon the loader and provided with nail-receiving passages arranged in accordance with a particular nailing design, and a shutter-plate individual to the block and movably mounted thereon, said shutter-plate having nail-discharging openings arranged according to the same design as the block-openings.

FRED L. MACKENZIE. 

